3.Scholarship guarantee: No one controls judges’ decisions. Be wary of “high success rates,” which often refer to award matches, not award winners.

4.No work involved: Legitimate scholarship applications require time and energy. No one can complete them for you.

5. No contact information: Before you apply, confirm the sponsor’s contact info. The sponsor should supply a valid e-mail address, phone number or mailing address (not a PO box) upon request.

6. Unsolicited scholarships:If you are called to receive an award for which you never applied, be alert. Ask where the sponsor got your name and number. Then follow up.

7. Pressure tactics: don't allow yourself to be pressured into applying for a scholarship,especially if the sponsor is asking you to pay money up front.

8. Claims of “exclusive” scholarships: Legitimate sponsors won't restrict knowledge about their award to a single service.

9. An official-sounding name or endorsement doesn't mean legitimacy: A sponsor may use words like “national,” “education” or “federal” or have an official-looking seal, but might still be a scammer.

10. Your questions aren't answered directly: can't get a straight answer from a sponsor regarding their application, what will be done with your information (e.g., if it will be sent to a third party) or other questions? Proceed with caution!

Scam-Spotting Rules of Thumb

~ don't pay money to get money ~ Legit scholarships are never guaranteed